As I was thinking ahead towards the weekend, I couldn’t decide what to make or how to time it well. I wanted something that could be ready quickly in case we work up a big appetite while shopping! Another thing on my wish list, to make a bigger quantity for leftovers to be utilized.

Solution: Crockpot PLUS Whole Roaster Chicken

Crockpot equals ready whenever we want; and roaster chicken means leftovers can be used in several different ways.

So here it is. The recipe I found on Pinterest (naturally) that is currently cooking away at home.

Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker (recipe courtesy of thelittlekitchen.net)

ingredients:

4 tsp salt

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lb roasting or fryer chicken

1 cup chopped onion

4-5 carrots, scrubbed but not peeled, chopped into thirds

4 celery stalks, cut into thirds

2 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed

1 lemon quartered

directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken. Rub the rub all over the outside and inside the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken.

4. Place onions, carrots and celery inside the slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. (When I used a 4 lb chicken, it took about 6 hours. The time will depend on the size of the chicken and your slow cooker.) Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.

5. Remove chicken and place in a 9×13 glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

Are you interested in trying Zumba? Well here is  a deal for you!! One month of Zumba or Stretch Classes at Impact Dance Studio in Edmond!!! Check out the link below.

http://www.wimgodeals.com/deal/oklahoma-city/

So what is Hot Yoga? Well to know about hot yoga we must start with  what yoga is. Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. According to wikipedia,” yoga became popular in the west by the mid 19th century. By 1980 yoga became linked to heart health, legitimizing yoga as a purely physical system of health exercise”. “Overall, studies of the effects of yoga on heart disease suggest that yoga may reduce high blood pressure, improve symptoms of heart failure, enhance cardiac rehabilitation, and lower cardiovascular risk factors”.

To know more about the different types of yoga check out the link below.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/yoga/types-of-yoga

Now as for Hot Yoga, which has become very popular. It is a great practice. I have started doing this type of yoga after a friend pursued ed me to go. I tried it and the first day all I could think about was how unflexible I was and how much I had been sweating. It is called Bikram yoga. It is typically done in a room that is between 85-105 degrees. It consists of 26 postures and 2 breathing techniques. While practicing yoga I hear the instructor always reminding us to breathe. Bikram yoga is used to help reduce stress, tension and helps deepen stretching and injury prevention. A lot of people use it for weight loss because you can burn up to 500-1250 calories per session. I do it just to increase my flexibility and I feel taller after the class and defiantly less anxious about my day.

If you would like to know more about it check out this site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikram_Yoga

This is the original recipe from Skinny Taste  and below is my modified version:

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey or beef (90% lean or better)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 onion, minced

1 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin powder

salt to taste

3 large sweet bell peppers, washed

1/4 cup tomato sauce

Olive oil cooking spray

2% reduced fat shredded cheese (flavor of your choice)

1/2 cup chicken broth (I also think water would work fine)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400F. Spray saute pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high.

2. Add garlic, onion and cilantro to the pan. Saute 2 minutes and add ground turkey/beef.

3. Season with salt, garlic powder and cumin until meat is browned. Add 1/4 cup tomato sauce.

4. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise & remove all seeds. Place in baking dish.

5. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half. Place all stuffed pepper halves into the baking dish. Pour in chicken broth to the bottom of the dish.

6. Cover tight with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Top with cheese and enjoy!

So this week I saw a lot of post op patients who were asking how to firm up their legs and bottoms. Well exercise is the key here. So get ready to sculpt the perfect lower half of your body. I found this video on women’s health magazine’s website. Check it out and get the lean sculpted legs you’ve been wanting!

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/lower-body-workout-for-women#axzz1lzpzvAkE

You’re bored and all you can think about is that yummy lasagna you have in the fridge. You aren’t hungry, but the only thoughts you have are, “When is my next meal/snack?” You can defeat those thoughts! Finding rewarding non-food hobbies or activities in place of eating can help. Take a look at some of these ideas and see if they work for you!

–Call a friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a long time and catch up.

–Sign up for a dance class. Physical activity + fun!

–Try your hand at photography or crafts. Pinterest is always in need of more things to pin!

–Learn something new, like  a language or how to paint.

–Play with your pet(s). They love you.

–Rearrange your furniture in your house. Change can feel good.

–Turn on your favorite CD/radio station/music video and sing along!

–Have you ever tried sewing/knitting/crocheting? Great gifts for loved ones or yourself.

–Reorganize your closet. Find old clothes or items you no longer need and donate them to charity.

–Take a walk outside and appreciate nature. You could even start or tend to your own flower or vegetable garden.

–Craft your own cookbook full of tasty, healthy recipes you can eat. Like the No Noodle Lasagna below!!

What kinds of activities do you enjoy best?

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No Noodle Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:

Meat sauce (recipe follows)

Ricotta Mixture (recipe follows)

~3 lbs of zucchini, sliced into thin, lasagna noodle-like strips with a vegetable peeler or mandolin

1 lb sliced mushrooms, sateed (optional)

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. Make the supreme sauce, stir together the ricotta mixture and satee the mushrooms, if using.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F
3. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 pan. Layer zucchini slices to cover the bottom of the pan.  Spread with half the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with half of the mushrooms. Top with tomato sauce. Repeat layers, ending with tomato sauce, zucchini and more tomato sauce.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top of lasagna with mozzarella, and bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Sauce Recipe:

1 lb Italian turkey sausage

2 lg onions, diced

1 green pepper, diced

5 cloves garlic, diced/pressed

2 (28oz) cans of crushed tomatoes

1. Cook the sausage in a large pot over medium heat until no longer pink.
2. Turn the heat to medium-low. Add onions, garlic, peppers and brown until onions turn a light golden brown, 10-15 minutes.
3. Pour in the tomatoes and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

Ricotta Mix:

2 cup low-fat ricotta

1 cup shredded parmesan

1 egg

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

Pepper to taste

1. Stir together the cheeses, egg, and basil until well combined.
2. Keep refrigerated until needed. This makes enough for 9 x 13 pan.

“Where ballet barre meets yoga and pilates”.

This is a new work out trend that I have noticed popping up all around the metro. I haven’t tried it personally but as soon as I can get into a class I’m there. I’m always looking for a new exercise routine to help target all the “trouble areas”. I’ve tried hot yoga, loved it and still do it on occasion.  I really like pilates because it is low impact and I can do it while watching television at home, as long as my puppy is distracted. But this barre 3 really caught my attention because I had some girlfriends talking about it. We have a location in Oklahoma city and the Edmond location will be open soon.  The girls I have talked to say its a great workout with a great variety and a lot more fun and enjoyable than just walking on a treadmill. This type of exercise may be great for someone who is post op and is really getting closer to their goal weight and really looking to transform their body. Check out the website for yourself.

http://www.barre3.com/

Do you ever get tired of the everyday grilled foods? Sometimes I do and I love to grill so I am always looking for new recipes or ideas for the grill. This recipe can be made in the oven or slow cooker, but I enjoy grilling so I went with the grill. This recipe keeps your meat very moist and tender as well as giving the pork a different flavor. I got this recipe at www.kitchenconfidante.com which has some interesting foods to turn away from the everyday foods we all get tired of.

Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!

Grill preparation:

Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.

Oven preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

As exciting as these prospects are, currently weight loss surgery is often the only hope for the millions of people suffering from severe obesity. Although a highly effective treatment for obesity, it is a solution that is not without risks or physiological consequences. Through personalized method, physicians would be able to intervene earlier in people at a high-risk for morbid obesity, and for those who need surgery, create an individually-tailored plan to dramatically improve their outcome. The author of the article Dr. Sunil Bhoyrul, explained that “the hope is to be able to make recommendations about the type of surgery our patients need based on their genotype as well as their phenotype. Obesity, like every health care epidemic that mankind has faced so far, can be eradicated – however, it will take a revolution,” he concluded. Deciding to have weight loss surgery, and which procedure to have, is a major decision that Drs. Broussard and Walton can help you make. No one surgery is perfect for everyone, and it’s critical to talk to an expert to understand the way your own body, personality, and preferences can steer your decision. Our weight loss seminars are a good starting point for that education.

Yes it’s true!!  You can play your favorite video games all while getting exercise!! The weather lately has been crazy!  24 degrees some days, 70 degrees the next so since we can’t really predict the weather this year I’ve been thinking of some other alternatives for exercise. I personally like group exercise classes but if we are not members of a fitness center it can be really hard to find a place to exercise. So I’ve been doing some research about video games. It seems like almost everyone has a wii, xbox or play station. Well if you have these consoles you might look into some of these games.

1.) Zumba

2.) Punch-out!!

3.) Active Life: Outdoor Challenge

4.) Dance Dance Revolution

5.) Just Dance

6.) Wii Fit Plus

7.) Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip….works on your balance

8.) The Biggest Loser Challenge

9.) Nickelodeon Fit

10.) Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum

Give them a try!! You might also look at this article and see how exercising with video games is very comparable to hitting the gym!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upgrade-your-life/lose-weight-playing-video-games-192328132.html